Butchart enjoys London trial run but Pavey still sweats on World Championship place

Andrew Butchart is keeping Mo Farah firmly in his sights as the countdown to this summer's IAAF World Championships gathers momentum.

The 25-year old Scot finished sixth behind Farah in last year's Olympic 5,000m final and is viewed as one of the rising stars of British distance running.

Just hours after stepping off a plane, following valuable weeks in Arizona, at an elite high-altitude training camp facilitated by British Athletics, Butchart dominated his rivals to win the Vitality London 10,000 in front of Buckingham Palace.

And now attention focuses to the British Championships in Birmingham, with all roads then leading to the Olympic Stadium in London.

"It's always nice to get a win," said Butchart, who retained his London 10,000 title from 12 months ago in a time of 29 minutes and 18 seconds.

"The crowds were about eight deep in spots and they created a wall of sound and that just gave me a glimpse into what London will be like this summer.

"I've improved a lot since last year, not just my training but my belief in myself. Belief is really important for any athlete, you've got to think I'm going to be the best.

"I know everyone will be focussed on Mo and it will be much easier for me because I'm just an underdog. That said, nobody is invincible but it's obviously going to be very tough.

"It's Mo's last races on the track and that's going to be an emotional occasion but could I get into the medals, you've got to have confidence."

Butchart's future is undoubtably bright but Jo Pavey insists she's not getting close to calling it quits after winning the women's race in London in a time of 32 minutes and 57 seconds.

Pavey put aside the disappointment of her run at the London Marathon, when she pulled out after 16 miles. That performance leaves a question mark over her involvement in another World Championship, having made her debut at the event 20 years ago.

"After London I was bitterly disappointed and I felt I'd let so many people down," said former European champion Pavey, a 10,000m World Championship bronze medallist ten years ago in Osaka.

"This felt really special and the crowd was amazing, cheering my name the whole way around and it reminded me of how much competing in front of home fans means.

"I'm still going for the World Championships, I've got the qualifying time but I think I've got to prove to the selectors in the next few weeks that I'm worth that place. There are lot of very good girls around and it won't be easy."

Sportsbeat 2017